One of the most difficult things that I have to grapple with as dean is meeting with the many students who find themselves depleted of financial resources just short of fulfilling their graduation requirements. This happens for a great many reasons – working to pay for their education prevents students from taking as many courses as they might like in semesters they are aid eligible; the necessity of using loans intended for their education to meet pressing family/personal expenses; changing majors which requires additional courses and expenses; the lack of aid to help defray the cost of summer courses which often results in unpaid balances and registration holds; or the student and/or his or her parent(s) simply do not have enough personal funds available to cover all educational costs for the semester - but the result is always the same; students (many of whom come from underrepresented groups and/or economically challenged populations) who drift away from the university without ever completing their degree. For these students the negative effects are double: they lack the credential needed to ensure a strong economic foundation for themselves and their family and they are denied the personal fulfillment of meeting an individual transformational goal.
Until last fall, I found myself emailing and phoning numerous campus partners looking for ways to keep these students enrolled and moving forward. Sometimes I was successful, but more often I was not. This situation changed dramatically during the fall semester when I brought the idea of an emergency fund (the CASL Get to Graduation Fund) to the members of my Dean’s Advisory Council. After hearing these stories Council members quickly pledged money to offer as matching funds to incentivize gifts to this fund on Giving Blueday, UM’s version of Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving following Thanksgiving. Response to this match was immediate and very positive and, in the course of one day, the college raised $15,000 to support these deserving students.
Once word of the fund spread (and it spread very quickly) I was immediately approached by a number of faculty, staff, and students asking about the funds. I am proud to announce that this semester the fund is helping 7 students complete their studies. I cannot even begin to say how profoundly grateful the students are for this expression of faith in their abilities. As one recent recipient noted,
“I was profoundly touched and overcome with gratitude upon receiving the Get to Graduation award. How can I possibly express my appreciation as you have altered my experience at the completion of my undergraduate studies? What a beautiful gift you have given me, thank you. On April 30, I will join in ceremony to recognize the culmination of sacrifice and dedication, a devotion to study, and the willingness and desire to meet a rigorous academic challenge. Because of your selfless act of kindness, the financial burden that held me in a state of worry and uncertainty has been lifted and I am free to enjoy, with appreciation, my final days under the tutelage of The University of Michigan-Dearborn. The Get to Graduation award is your investment, which will ultimately touch the lives of those who seek guidance in their darkest of times. I can only aspire to offer such selfless generosity to others as you have given me.”
I cannot wait to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of this group of students at the April Commencement. I am very proud of their grit and am inspired by their determination. At the same time, I also know that there are many more CASL students facing similar circumstances and that the number of students finding themselves confronting similar challenges will only increase in the coming years. Accordingly, I will continue to make this fund a priority as I engage with potential donors and friends of the campus. Should you be interested in contributing to this fund you can find the link at: https://leadersandbest.umich.edu/find/#!/dearborn/umd-casl/student
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